Longtime Eagles / Country Guitarist Steuart Smith Retires Due to Illness

He was both the touring and studio guitarist for The Eagles for 25 years, but also contributed significantly to numerous country music tours and albums over his tenure, and was one of the most respected musicians in Nashville and beyond. Few could replace Don Felder in the legendary country rock band, and trade licks with Joe Walsh. But Steuart Smith could, and did.
Smith with no longer be touring with The Eagles or anyone else. The 72-year-old recently announced a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, which has rendered him unable to perform or tour.
“It is with profound regret that, due to performance issues associated with my recently diagnosed Parkinsonism, I find that I must bow out of my role with the Eagles while I can still do so gracefully,” Smith said in a statement. “It’s been a great quarter of a century, and I had hoped to be able to finish out this year with the band, but I must now do what’s best for all concerned.”
Steuart Smith came into the public consciousness for many after the controversial firing of Don Felder in 2001. Felder felt he deserved more recognition and pay in the band. But Steuart Smith was already an accomplished guitarist in country at the time he joined the Eagles. As both a touring and recording musician, he’d worked with Dolly Parton, Wynonna Judd, Trisha Yearwood, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Shawn Colvin, and more.
Perhaps most notably, Smith played guitar on Rodney Crowell’s now legendary album Diamonds & Dirt from 1988 that seeded five consecutive #1 singles. Steuart was an official member of Rodney Crowell’s band The Cicadas, which released its own album in 1997.
Steuart Smith also previously performed with current member of The Eagles, Vince Gill, and also played in the solo band of Don Henley. Though just like Don Felder previously, Steuart Smith was dealt with as a “hired hand,” he also became a very visible member of the band, and co-wrote two of the songs on the band’s 2007 album Long Road Out of Eden.
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Steuart Smith has most recently been living in Salem, Massachusetts.
Replacing Steuart Smith in The Eagles will be Vince Gill in part, who will continue to take over more guitar duties, as well as well-respected Dallas-based guitarist Chris Holt. Holt has performed in numerous bands previously, but is perhaps best known recently for performing in the Dirty Knobs with former Tom Petty’s and the Heartbreakers guitarist Mike Campbell.
It appears Smith left The Eagles before the beginning of 2025. But when he didn’t appear with the band during their first performance at the Las Vegas Sphere on January 17th, public speculation ensued.
“Steuart Smith has retired from touring,” Don Henley later said in a statement. “The Eagles will be forever grateful for the extraordinary talents that he brought to both our recordings and live performances. Steuart will be greatly missed, but he will always be a part of our musical family. We know our many fans join us in wishing him well.”
The Eagles have obviously gone through numerous lineup changes over the years, with drummer and singer Don Henley being the only original member of the band, though Joe Walsh has been a longtime collaborator, and officially joined the band in 1975. Bass player Timothy B. Schmidt has been a member since 1977, and Vince Gill came on to replace Glenn Frey after he passed away in 2016.
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February 2, 2025 @ 9:31 am
One of the guitar greats. He will be missed.
February 2, 2025 @ 1:28 pm
My wife and I saw a good Eagles show in Knoxville a couple of years ago and he was in the lineup right next to Joe Walsh.
They relied heavily on his guitar contributions.
He’s quite a virtuoso.
February 2, 2025 @ 3:21 pm
Rosanne Cash singing runaway train on Austin City Limits. Youtube. You are welcome.
February 2, 2025 @ 8:21 pm
Also Steuart has a great solo when Rosanne Cash sang “my baby thinks he’s a train 1988” It was on a tv show where she was introduced by Carl Perkins, and Perkins referred to himself in the third person.
February 2, 2025 @ 7:42 pm
So sad.
February 2, 2025 @ 8:10 pm
“Though just like Don Felder previously, Steuart Smith was dealt with as a “hired hand,””
Incorrect. Felder was an equal partner and CFO of the Eagles. Then they “broke up”, and when touring resumed in 1994 they offered him a lesser share.
By 1980 Frey and Felder were actually threatening each other on stage, and the band splintered. They got back together in 1994, but more than time had changed: so had the money. As Felder told The Hollywood Reporter, eventually, “there was a big shift away from it being a band into being a dictatorship, with dual-headed dictators” — Frey and Henley. A partnership of equals became their band and their contributions to its success, and they wanted the money divided their way — and in their favor.
Says Rolling Stone, “Though the band had split their revenue equally back in its Seventies heyday, (Felder) now complained that Henley and Frey insisted on a higher percentage for themselves. Henley and Frey didn’t take kindly to having their motives questioned, and fired Felder” in 2001. Felder sued for wrongful termination, breach of contract and fiduciary duty. They tried (and failed) to keep Felder from publishing his autobiography (a New York Times bestseller); the suits were settled out of court — but not the hard feelings
Read More: https://www.grunge.com/233533/the-real-reason-don-felder-was-fired-from-the-eagles/
February 2, 2025 @ 8:26 pm
Don Felder got less money than the other primary members of The Eagles. This article is not an unabridged history of the Eagles, it is a story about Steuart Smith, and so the issue with Don Felder was mentioned only in passing to not take the emphasis away from Smith, his contributions, and his health issues.
February 3, 2025 @ 3:29 am
To me, the Eagles became irrelevant to any discussion of country music after Bernie Leadon left the band.
February 3, 2025 @ 5:14 pm
Felder became the “sound” of the Eagles after Bernie Leadon quit to pursue his style of music. Always remember that any problems the band experienced had Frye as the catalyst. I believe Vince Gill is more than just a replacement for him. He is a gentle man and better singer and writer. Just hope he doesn’t become a “victim” of Henley.
February 8, 2025 @ 12:07 pm
I was privileged to see Steuart three times with Rodney Crowell back in the 80’s. Rodney always had great musicians with him. Steuart made his playing look effortless. What a talent.
February 8, 2025 @ 5:39 pm
The guy in the picture is Not Don Felder. That is the guy who replaced Felder. Pictured is the guy who just retired because of illness.(Diagnosed With Alltimers I believe)